
Oregon football: Jeff Maehl's career night was well-timed - even if his jump was not LOS ANGELES - It was the No. 1 play on ESPN's "SportsCenter'' on Saturday night, and it is arguably the No. 1 play so far in Oregon's 8-0 start to the season. But Jeff Maehl wasn't too impressed with his 45-yard touchdown catch Saturday night at USC - a lunging, diving, juggling catch in the end zone that formed one-half of a massive momentum swing in the Ducks' 53-32 win. The score gave the Ducks a 22-17 lead in the second quarter and came one play after a botched snap halted USC's drive as the Trojans appeared headed toward building a lead in an energized LA Coliseum. Maehl said he mistimed his jump "badly'' and probably shouldn't have even jumped in the first place. "I mean, on tape it probably looks like a pretty good catch,'' Maehl said, "but I probably could have made it a lot easier on myself. I mistimed the jump and it hit my hands and it kind of just fell right into my lap.'' For Maehl, the catch was the highlight - ill-timed or perfectly timed, depending on your perspective - of another very productive game for the senior from Paradise, Calif. Maehl caught eight passes from Darron Thomas for a career-high 145 yards and three touchdowns, also a career best. That gives Maehl 26 catches for 371 yards in the past three games. In the days leading up to Oregon's 53-32 win over USC, Ducks coach Chip Kelly talked repeatedly about the Trojans' talent edge, even counting up the recruiting <b>...</b>
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